Device for supplying moisture-laden air to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine



Oct. 22, 1963 3,107,657

' D. COOK DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING MOISTURE-LADEN AIR TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l 72 INVENTOR.

ATTD RN EYS Oct. 22, 1963 3,107,657

D. COOK DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING MOISTURE-LADEN AIR TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 16, 1962 IN VEN TOR.

ATTIJ RN EYE United States Patent 3,107,657 DEVHCE FQR SUPPLYING MGISTURE-LADEN AIR TI) THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Daniel Cook, 1611 24th Ave, Gulfport, Miss.

Filed Feb. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 173,705 2 Claims. (Cl. 123-25) The present invention relates to a device for supplying moisture-laden air to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.

It is a well-known fact that internal combustion engines are more efficient and economical too when supplied with moisture-laden airs or droplets of water suspended in air to the manifold to be mixed with the vaporized fuel.

The primary object of the present invention therefore is to provide such a device for attachment to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine which is automatic in operation, designed so as to be foolproof in operation, one simple in construction and having few moving parts, and one which is economically feasible.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vaporizer for an internal combustion engine which supplies moisture-laden air in quantities suitable and matched to the speed of thevehicle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a vaporizer for an internal combustionengine which can be made of any size to fit any size of internal combustion engine, one which requires little and no maintenance or attention while operating, and one which may be manufactured in quantity at reasonable cost.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of the device of the present invention, in schematic form and with parts shown broken away.

FIGURE 2 is a view taken on the line 22 of FIG- URE l. 7

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

With reference to the drawings in detail, the device of the present invention is shown attached to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, the engine not being shown.

An accelerator rod 12 has one end fastened to the free end of the throttle arm 14 and has the other end pivotal-1y connected to a conventional accelerator pedal.

Intermediate the ends of the'rod 12 is a pivotal connection 13 to one end of a lever 25. The other end of the lever 24) is slotted and carries in the slot 22 a pivotal connection 24 on one end of a piston rod 26-.

On the other end of the piston rod 26 is a piston valve 23 slidable in a tube 30 so as to open and close the egress opening of conduits 32, 34, and 36.

Conventional valves 38, 4t and -42, control the flow of fluid through the conduits 32, 34 and 36 respectively. The other ends of the conduits 32, 34 and 36 remote from the egress openings are connected to a main conduit 44.

The numerd 46 represents a closed reservoir having a drain 4%.

In the top wall '50 of the reservoir 46 there is a filler opening 52 closed by a cap element 54.

A pair of tanks 56 and 58 have their lower end portions within the reservoir 46, extending through the top wall 5'0, and each of the tanks 56 and 58is provided in its lower end with a dump valve 60.

3,107,657 Patented Oct. 22, 1963 ice At the free end of each of the conduits'62, 64, and 66,

is a spray nozzle 68. The other end of each of the conduits 62, 64, and 66 is connected in communication with a supply conduit 70 having its lower end extending into the reservoir 46 to a point adjacent to'and spaced above the bottom 72 thereof.

An end of the main conduit 44 extends into the top 68 of the tank 56 and serves as an outlet conduit for such tank. Another conduit 74 has one end connected in communication with the interior of the tank 58, extending through the top 68 thereof, and has its other end connected in communication with the main conduit 44, as shown more cleanly in FIGURE =1.

An important feature of the present invention resides in a vacuum release conduit 76 having one end connected in communication with the interior of the tank 56 and having the other end connected in communication with the interior of the tank '58.

Another important feature of the instant invention resides in a slide valve assembly 78 which is operable in response to the accumulation of fluid in the tanks 56 and 58. The slide valve 78 includes a tube 80 in which is slidable a valve 82. The tube 80 intercepts the conduits 44, 74, and 76, as shown in FIGURE 1. The valve 82 is provided passages 84, $6, and 88 which control the flow of fluid through the conduits 44, 76, and 74, respectively.

A piston 90 is operatively connected to one end of the valve 82 and a piston 92 has a connection to the other end of the valve 82. The pistons 90 and 92 are slidable in the chambers 94 and 96, respectively.

The conduits 98 and 100 connect the ends of the chambers '94 and 96 remote from the tube 80 to the upper ends of the tanks '56 and 58, respectively. The valves 102 and 104 control the flow of fluid through the conduits 98 and 160, respectively, and each valve 102, 104 is controlled by a float element 1%6 within the respective tanks 56 and 58. Weights 108 control the "action of the dump valves 60 by keeping the valve 60 closed until a certain Weight of water accumulates in the respective tanks 56, and 58.

The operation of the device of the present invention as follows. The lever 20 pivots on a pivot pin 110 in response to pressure on the accelerator pedal 16 as the vehicleincreases its speed. This results in drawing the piston valve 28 from its position closing the conduits 32, 34 and 36 to a position progressively opening such conduits 3.2, 34 and 36.

The manifold 10, as is common with all internal com- 7 bustion engines, creates a vacuum which is relieved by air flowing through the conduit 44 and through the conduits 32, 34 and 36, and controlled by the valves 3d, 40 and 42 and by the sliding valve 28.

When the valve 82 is in the position as shown in FIG- URE 1, the passage 84 is open and the vacuum of the manifold 10 is applied to the interior of the tank '56. This results drawing of water upwardly through the supply conduit 70 connected with the tank 56 and flow of the water through the conduits 62, 64 and 66 and outwardly of the nozzle 68 into the interior of the tank 56. This atomized water or carrying droplets of water is sucked upwardly through the conduit 44 into the manifold 10 where it is mixed with the fuel-air mixture of the carburetor for burning in the internal combustion engine.

As not all of the water emerging from the nozzles 68 associated with the tank 56 will atomize but some will accumulate in the-tank 56, when this accumulation is 3 such that it the float element 106, the valve 182 Will move to the open position.

This applies vacuum to the end of the chamber 94 remore from the tube 8% so as to pull the piston Ml fromthe position shown in FIGURE 1 to a position at the other end of the chamber 94.

This results in first, opening of the passage 86 so that the conduit 76 is in communication with :both the tank 56 and the tank 58.

Further movement of the piston 90 results in shifting of the passage- 86 to closed position and opening of the passage 88 to apply the vacuum to the top of the tank 58.

Meanwhile, when the passage 86 Was opened for the brief period of movement of the valve 82, the vacuum in the tank 56 was relieved 'by air flowing from the tank 56. This results balancing of the weight 1'08 against the action of the element 106 so that upon release of the vacuum over the Water as accumulated in the tanks 56 and 58, the Weight of the water is sufficicnt to open the dump valve -60 associated with that tank.

Meanwhile, vacuum is applied to the tank 58 through the open valve passage 88 and water is drawn up into the conduits 62, 64 and 66 of the tank 58 and out through the associated nozzles 68 to repeat the operation.

It willhe seen therefore that the device of the present invention for supplying moisture-laden air to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine is automatic in operation and foolproof in operation. With increased acceleration of the vehicle more moisture is required than when the motor is travelling at a normal speed or in the vicinity of thirty miles an hour. Adjustment of the amounts of moisturedaden air entering the manifold 10 is made by adjustment of the conventional valves 38, 40, and 42.

There is a normal seepage of air through the tube 30 around the piston rod 28 to apply vacuum to one tank or the other even when the motor is idling so that the device of the present invention is instantly operable upon acceleration of the vehicle in which the device is installed.

The reservoir 46 is filled through the opening 52 after removal of the cap element 54 and the cap element 54 is provided with an air vent (not shown) or is a loose fit so that no vacuum is applied to the reservoir 46 above the quantity of water contained therein upon drawing of the water upwardly through the supply conduits 70.

While only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described other embodiments arecontemplated and numerous changes or modifications may he made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Y

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for supplying moisture-laden to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine incl-uding a reservoir for Water, a pair of vacuum tanks each having a spray inlet conduit connectedin communication with said reservoir and an outlet conduit connected in communication with said manifold, and valve means operable to open the outlet conduit of one of said tanks responsive to the accumulation of Water to a certain level in the other tank, the improvement consisting in means for relieving the vacuum in said other tank comprising a conduit connecting said one and other tanks together, and a normally closed valve in said last named conduit, said valve being operable to open position upon actuation of said valve means. 1 Y

2. In a device for supplying moisture-laden air to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine including a reservoir for water, a pair of vacuum tanks each having a. spray inlet conduit connected in communication with said reservoir and an outlet conduit connected in communication with said manifold, and valve means openable to open the outlet conduit of one of said tanks responsive to the accumulation of water to a certain level in the other tank, there lheing a dump valve in the bottom of each of said tanks for returning accumulated water to said reservoir, said dump valve being operable to open position responsive to a predetermined weight of water in said tank when there is normal air pressure in said tank above said accumulated water, the improvement consisting in means for relieving the vacuum in said other tank comprising a conduit connecting said one and other tanks together, and a normally closed valve in said last named conduit, said valve being operable to open position upo actuation of said valve means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Peters et a1 July 23, 1957. 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING MOISTURE-LADEN AIR TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INCLUDING A RESERVOIR FOR WATER, A PAIR OF VACUUM TANKS EACH HAVING A SPRAY INLET CONDUIT CONNECTED IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID RESERVOIR AND AN OUTLET CONDUIT CONNECTED IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID MANIFOLD, AND VALVE MEANS OPERABLE TO OPEN THE OUTLET CONDUIT OF ONE OF SAID TANKS RESPONSIVE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF WATER TO A CERTAIN LEVEL IN THE OTHER TANK, THE IMPROVEMENT CONSISTING IN MEANS FOR RELIEVING THE VACUUM IN SAID OTHER TANK COMPRISING A CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID ONE AND OTHER TANKS TOGETHER, AND A NOR- 